Springfield Police Investigate Officer-Involved Shooting

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Springfield police are trying to figure out why an officer shot a man in Springfield Friday. It happened outside the Walmart Neighborhood Market near Glenstone and Bennett.

UPDATE: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Police have released more details on the man shot by an officer around noon on Friday in the 1900 block of E. Bennett.

According to a Springfield Police Department spokeswoman, the man has been identified as Eric David Butts, 26, of Springfield. Butts is on probation and parole for burglary. He also has a second-degree felony burglary warrant from Greene County and a municipal traffic warrant from Springfield.

Butts is in police custody while being treated at the hospital for the gunshot wound.

The officer has been with the Springfield Police Department for 11 years and is now on paid administrative leave.

The Criminal Investigation Division and Investigation and Internal Affairs Unit are both conducting investigations.

"I only heard the gunshot and the only part I actually saw was him chasing the guy," says Witness Dustin Ewing. Ewing works at the Walmart Neighborhood Market on Glenstone.

"I was standing around the corner by the parking lot on my smoke break," he says.

Ewing sees and hears a lot working on one of Springfield's busiest streets, but he wasn't expecting to see or hear what he saw and heard this afternoon.

"I heard a gunshot come from the parking lot," he says. "I looked toward the parking lot to see what it was, and I see this big guy in dirty clothes run behind the Brown Derby right here and lay down. I think I saw a blood stain on his shirt-- and the cop, with his pistol, runs up behind him. He doesn't touch him, he just calls for backup."

Turns out, according to police, that the veteran officer was originally responding to an anonymous 911 call about a panhandler. The caller said they knew the panhandler and believed he was wanted for warrants.

"The officer arrived on scene shortly thereafter and made contact with the individual and the individual ran," says Major Kirk Manlove with the Springfield Police Department. "The officer discharged his weapon. At this point, we are treating this as an officer involved shooting."

It's still not clear why the shot was fired.

"That's what the investigation will uncover," says Major Manlove. "Is what his thoughts were and what he was thinking at the time. What his observations were as well as what the suspect's actions were."

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SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- More information is being released by police about a noon-hour shooting that left one man injured in east Springfield. Police now say it was an officer-involved shooting.

Major Kirk Manlove says police were called about noon to the 1900 block of E. Bennett, by someone complaining about a panhandler in the area, who had warrants out for his arrest.

When officers got there, Manlove says, the man ran from police. One of the officers fired his duty weapon, striking the man. The officer then called for emergency help.

The man was taken to a Springfield hospital with what Manlove says appears to be non life-threatening injuries.

In an earlier report, we incorrectly said the man was shot by a second individual who was in police custody. That information came from witnesses at the scene.

Police have not released the name of the shooting victim or the officer involved.

Our initial report:

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- One man is being treated at a Springfield hospital after being shot in east Springfield.

Police spokesperson Lisa Cox tells KOLR10 News the shooting was reported about noon behind a business on E. Bennett, just east of Glenstone Avenue. (see map below)

One man was shot, and was taken to a hospital by ambulance. A second man was arrested after a brief foot chase by police, witnesses told KOLR10 News.

The seriousness of the victim's injuries are not known at this time. More information on this developing story will be posted here as it becomes available.